Collar clamping apparatus



May 3, 1949. H. D. FORSE COLLAR CLAMPING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1946 Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in clamping apparatus, and more especially to collar clamping devices adapted to be used in conjunction with garment presses.

In pressing garments, as for instance, shirts or the like, it is customary and desirable to provide some means for securing the collar portion thereof as the yoke of the shirt is finished. Such clamping means are usually attached to the buck or lower stationary pressing member, with a portion thereof overlying the pressing surface and the head or upper movable pressing member is recessed to provide working clearance for the assembly.

Various types of clamping means have long been employed for the purpose of holding the collar clear of the pressing member and also to provide a reference point or target for laying the shirt preparatory to finishing the yoke thereof on a press. Some of the known hand operated clamping devices are those in which the structure is operated by the manipulation of a handle in the full grasp of an operator, or those in which operation is provided by finger tip control. In the operation of both of the foregoing types, the hands of an operator are required to be entirely removed from the work being smoothed or stretched upon the clamping device in order to operate the controls. Consequently, the clamped portion of the garment is often askew and misaligned relative to the device during the pressing operation. As a result of such misalignment the entire garment quite frequently has to be refinished. Such re-working in addition to greatly increasing coats also slows production to considerable extent.

It is one of the chief objects of the present invention to overcome the imperfections of previous hand-operated clamps and to provide handoperated clamping means which permit the full use of the fingers of both hands to hold taut and smooth the part to be clamped and concurrently with such operation to use the hands to move the improved device into clamping position.

A further object of advantage and importance resides in the provision of means for independently moving either of a pair of clamping means to or from clamping position. Additionally, such independent movement of the clamping means may be accomplished without the operator releasing the garment being clamped.

Still another object of advantage and importance is the provision of means for biasing the clamping members in either limit position, and

alsoof utilizing such biasing means to assist in moving the members to such limit positions.

Another object of importance and advantage of the improved device of this invention is the pro vision of means for automatically releasing both clamping members from clamped position upon operation of the press with which the device may be associated.

Additional objects of advantage and importance will become apparent as the following detailed description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a clamping apparatus which embodies the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof, shown associated with a fragmentary portion of a press.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in clamped position, a portion thereof being broken away, and

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the apparatus with the parts thereof positioned as illustrated in Figure 1.

The reference numeral H! indicates generally the improved clamping device of this invention. The device comprises a body ll, preferably although not necessarily, of hollow construction, and is shaped to conform to the desired contour of a finished collar. The front surface of the body II is offset and includes a downwardly and forwardly inclined intermediate portion it, which terminates in securing bosses 12. The bosses 12 are located on opposed ends of the body H, as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. Formed in the flat upper surface of the body II and centrally thereof is a recess l 4, which is adapted to provide clearance for an operating rod l6, later to be described.

Fixed to the undersurface of the body H and projecting therebelow is a pair of guide pins l8. The guide pins l8 are preferably secured to the bosses l2, as is best shown in Figure 1, and function to guide that member in its adjustable movement relative to the buck 24 and supporting member 25). The supporting member 20 extends rearwardly from the pins I8 and is provided with a plurality of elongated apertures 2| through which securing studs 22 and 23 extend. The studs 23 are adapted to be secured to the under portion of a buck 24 with which the device is associated and lock nuts 25 operably associated with the studs 23 function to anchor and maintain the supporting member 20 rigid relative to the buck 24. A wing nut 26 operably associated with the stud 22 bears against the front lower surface of the supporting member 20 and functions to draw the body ll against the upper surface of the buck 24.

Pivotally secured to the front upper portion of the body H, preferably by socket head bolts 28, is a pair of bell crank members 30. The bell crank members 30 are spaced apart, as is best shown in Figures 1 and 3, and each is provided with a plurality of radially extending arms, indicated bythe reference numerals 32, 34, and 36. The arms 32;; extend; upwardly. and are turned upon themselves to form inverted substantially U-shaped members. The free end of each arm 32 is adapted upon rotation of the bell crank to-be moved into and from engagementwithrthebody l l, as is best shown by the positions of the member in Figures 1 and 3.

The arms 36 extend radially outwardlyirom a point diametrically opposite the members 32 and are flattened adjacent their free ends -for use as X operating handles. The arms 34 which are offset as at35 extend radially outwardly fro'm theicentrahportion of each =bellcrankrmember winter- ;fmediatethe arms. 32, and -36. Securedtinian-out- -wardly extending: portion- 38 of-eachnbellvcrank a member 30 is a pin ill. [The pins ,40- are spaced radially from;the socket head bolts Z8 and are adapted when-the bell crank member is in either limit position to be on a plane abOV8= O1'. b B1OW' a horizontal center line extendingthroughthe bell crank pivots, ,A helical spring 42 securedto= the pins' lii provides a means .fior; biasing w-the zbell crank members 3B, toward a-limltposition. --It:is :to 'benotedthat inthe movement Ofrthfi -.-bell crank members 30 from one limit-position to thel other the spring 42- in being extended functions to yieldably resistisuch movement and astheipinsAll move past center the spring 42 in contracting functions -to assist in the movement of they bell fcrank members 30.

Positioned above-the device andhaving one end thereof adapted tobe secured to .themov- 5: able head; not shown; of@ a press,.-is.- an-goperating rod It. The lower end of the operating rod fllfiis-disposed to engage andpperatethe radially uextending "offset armsws to.- move ithetbell- :crank members 39 from clamp-ed to open-position.. -Lock nut 43 in screw-threaded association with.,the upper end of the operatingvrod -l 6 provides-means qfor locking that member inselected-adjustment relative to the head of'the press. pair :of rollers 35 rotatably positioned onthe lower .endpf the ,operating rod '16 providesan anti-friction engagement with the arms 34.

1 The supporting member-20 of the imp-roved de- .Viceof this invention may be adjusted horizontally or vertically as desiredrelative to theibuck i-ll l, toeprovide for the proper. positioning of the body H, and the operating rod 16 may besadjusted nhorizontallyrelative to the 'head,,not,shown, to

acooperate with the arms- 34. Thus, thejdevice may: lea-automatically operated at...any selected ....'position in thetravel of the movablehead.

Operation When i the improved device ;of. thisrinventionxise if operably. associated. with a; press L it may be ep- 1 eratedsubstantially as follows:

The bell crank members Sit aremoved to :the

exposition inwhichithey areshown inFigure 1; and

f theyoke portion of ashirt-is spread 'or laid: llIJOIlT? tithe pressing member Ell, with the "collaritherefof in engagement With'ther device l 0. i The :operator rithen grasps a forward-portion, '01 pointvofthe :5 collan in each hand and draws ittautly aboutithe -zhody ii |-,.:thus.:;bringing thesballjsportions zofthe 4 hand in close proximity to the flat portions of the arms 36, When the collar is properly aligned on the body II the operator moves both hands inwardly toward each other to engage the arms 36, thereby rotating the bell crank members and thus bringing the free ends of the arms 32 into clamping engagement with the collar against the body I I. It is to be noted that the operator may retain a hold on the collar during the clamp- 10;;ing: operation. 7 Consequently; misalignment due -to releasing the hold of 'one or bothhands, as to operate a finger tip or other control device, is totally eliminated.

With t-hedevice in clamped position the pressing controls may be operated to bring the pressing--members together in a finishing operation. The operating rod [6 may be adjusted to release the clamping mechanism during any portion of the finishing operation. For convenience, and by way of illustration, the rod I 6 is illustrated as be- :zingset-to release the:clamping apparatusion the downWard-movementsof the-head. It. will therelore, be apparent. thatwhen,:theqfinishingoperation is completed theimprovedclampingmechanism of this inventionhas been released-soi-that vthe finishedshirt or other garmentg-may bezreadily removed fromthe press.

; It will be apparent ;from-. the [foregoingv :that herein is provided asimple and foolmroofclamping mechanism, comprising relativelyifewtinten related parts which maybe-economicallymanufactured and marketed.'-M0re0yen;thepertainty .with which garments may be; precisely aligned through the use of the improved device -of; :;this invention, even when operated .-;byiunski-lledgper- .yscns havingv no previous experience, resul-ts in-exs'ceptional uniformity in the finished product.

a As it will be apparent to ;th0se-.-ski1led --in ,the art to which thecimprovedqdevice.appentainathat numerous changes and Widely: different embodiments of the inventionmay-be made: without :de- 1 parting from the spirit and-sqopathereot, it :is intended that theembodiments-shown.in-thedrawing and description thereof shallwbeqinterpreted J45.-as illustrative. only and not ,in-a li-miti-ngmense. I Reference is, therefore, to be, hadetoithe appended claims fora definitionhof the limits of- -the.invention.

. I claim: ,1. In a garment; press; abuckv having arpadded upper surface, a supporting plate adiustablysecured to said buck remotelynt the padded surfiace thereof, a collar clamp having a neck band-receiving form-means adjustablysec'uril saidzcoll-ar 55. :clamp to said supporting plate .said adjustable securing means being located to bapperablyaadjusted when said press, is in pressingor nonrpressing position, a pairofimembers mountedior operable movement relativeto saidiorm, eachaof ,60 said members being provided .with. a,porti on I adapted to be moved to. and item-engagement .with said form, and mechanical, means ionmoving said members from said form engaging position.

2. The structure of claim, 1 including spring means yieldably maintaining-said *members in form engaging position and guide means-"interposed between said support-ingplate and :collar clamp for maintaining said-"form in al-ignment i withand immovable relativato the-padded surface of the buck.

3. The structureof claim lnincluding over center spring ,means operablerto --:yiel.dably;:resist mmovement of; saidvimembersiin'geither :direo'tion n and. upon such :movementwbeing',s-tarted-.to, assist in moving the members to their terminal positions, said supporting plate being secured to the lower external surface of said buck and being operable to support said form independently of the padded surface of said buck.

4. In a garment press, a buck having a resilient pressing surface, a collar clamp having a neck band receiving form, a pair of members mounted on said form for rotational movement between limit positions, spring means operable to bias said pair of members toward each limit position, a mechanical means for movin said pair of members from one limit position to the other limit position in unison, and means for maintaining said form stationary during the fluctuations of the resilient pressing surface of the buck caused by pressing operations.

5. The structure of claim 4 including means for detachably securing said form to a garment press.

6. In a garment press, a buck having a pressing surface, a collar clamp having a neck band receiving form, means for clamping the collar of a shirt to said form, said means comprising a pair of bell crank members rotatably secured to said form and having a portion on each operable upon rotation of said bell cranks to move into and from clamping association with said form, handle means projecting from each bell crank, biasing means operable upon rotational movement of said bell crank members to bias said members in an opposite rotational direction, and means located'remotely of the pressing surface of said buck for maintaining said collar clamp in operable association with said pressing surface.

'7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the said handle means are formed and extend forwardly to be operated by the heel portions of the hands as the fingers thereof grasp and stretch a collar upon said form.

8. The structure of claim 6 wherein the said handle means are formed and extend forwardly below the rotational axes of said clamping means to be operated by the heel portions of an operators hands as other portions thereof maintain a collar in association with said form, and means automatically operated for moving said bell cranks from clamping association with said form.

HARRY D. FORSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 23, 1912 Number Number 

